Hanger spacing device



p 1970 I R. N. NATHANSON 3,528,590

HANGER SPACING DEVICE Filed Feb. 24, 1969 INVENTOR fP/CHARD M NH r/m/vso/v J 2 BY ATTORNEYS United States Patent Otlice Patented Sept. 15,, 1970 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A spacing device for clothing hangers and the like and having a plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures for maintaining hangers in a spaced apart relation, ingress and egress slits being provided for insertion and removal of a hanger neck from each aperture.

This invention relates to improvements in spacing devices for maintaining clothing hangers and the like in a spaced apart relation.

In laundry and cleaning establishments, after an article of apparel has been laundered or cleaned, the same are frequently placed on clothing hangers which are then hung on a rack or bar, usually in a tightly packed relation with the apparel hung thereon being crushed together. When there are several articles of apparel, on separate hangers, for a single order, the hanger necks may be tied together to indicate that all of the apparel on such hangers belong to a single order and will normally be picked up by the delivery man and delivered to the customer in this tied together apparel crushing relation. When this procedure is used in connection with shirts, for instance, the collars of the shirts will frequently become crushed and wrinkled when the hangers receiving the same are tightly compressed or tied together. The primary object of this invention is the provision of a spacing device for clothing hangers and the like whereby the hangers will be maintained in a spaced apart position from one another, thus preventing crushing or wrinkling of the apparel received thereon.

A further object is the provision of a spacing device for clothing hangers and the like whereby the apparel of a single order, received on separate clothing hangers, may be grouped or segregated together for delivery purposes and will be retained in a spaced apart relation whereby to prevent crushing or wrinkling of the apparel received thereon.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, forming a portion of the specification and in which drawing:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of my improved spacing device.

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective View showing how my improved spacing device may be used in connection with clothing hangers.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view showing a plurality of clothing hangers grouped together in a spaced apart relation through use of my improved spacing device.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter A may generally designate by improved spacing device; B a clothing hanger; and C a hanger or rack for supporting the clothing hangers B.

Spacing device A preferably comprises an elongated body portion having a plurality of apertures 11 which extend through and are longitudinally spaced along body portion 10. A plurality of slits 12 may be provided in body portion 10, one slit for each aperture 11, each such slit extending from an exterior edge 13 of body portion 10 to communication with an aperture 11. Each slit 12 has confronting faces 14 and 15, as shown in FIG. 3,

- which confronting faces are normally substantially in abutment with each other, as shown in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 2, body portion 10 is preferably arcuately curved transverse to the longitudinal axis thereof, in order to give the spacing device sufficient longitudinal rigidity to normally retain clothing hangers B in a spaced apart position.

In order to preventand avoid some degree of weakening of the longitudinal rigidity by the provision of slits 12, slits 12 preferably each extend from an aperture 11 at an angle with respect to the radius of the curve of arcuate body portion 10.

Clothing hangers B may be of any conventional type, the form shown including an apparel receiving portion 16, a hanger neck 17, and a hook portion 18. Apertures 11 are preferably of a dimension to freely receive a hanger neck 17, as shown in FIG. 3. Clothing hangers B are normally received by spacing device A by insertion of the neck 17 of the hanger through a slit 12, and into an aperture 11, as shown at the extreme left hand side of FIG. 3. Slits 12 are spread apart during insertion of a clothing hanger B, and it thus becomes obvious that body portion 10 of spacing device A must have sufiicient resiliency to permit the confronting faces 14 and 15 of each slit 12 to recover after insertion of a hanger neck 17, so that the confronting faces of such slit will return to a normal substantially abutting relation and maintain a hanger neck 17 within an aperture 11.

Spacing devices A may be of any material which will provide the necessary longitudinal rigidity and have the necessary resiliency as set forth above. They may, for instance, be made of plastic, pressed paper, etc.

For grouping and segregation of the articles of one order in a group, the spacing devices may be color coded for identification and grouping purposes. Also, since it is impossible to predict how many individual items may comprise a single order, my improved spacing device could be provided in a continuous strip from which could be cut the length necessary to receive the hangers of a single order.

The invention has been primarily developed and is primarily intended for use in connection with clothing hangers, however, it is to be understood that the same might be readily adapted as a spacing device for other types of articles or members. The same might also find usefulness as a permanent spacing device for the storage of garments in the home.

Various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be made to the form of invention herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A spacing device for maintaining a group of clothing hangers in a spaced apart position a suflicient distance from each other to prevent crushing of articles supported by the hangers, said spacing device including an elongated body portion provided with a plurality of hanger neck receiving apertures therethrough, said hanger neck receiving apertures being of a dimension to receive a hanger neck thereon and being spaced longitudinally along said body portion for receiving and spacing apart hanger necks received by said apertures, a plurality of slits, one for each hanger neck receiving aperture, each slit having confronting faces that are normally substan tially in abutment with each other, said slits extending and into communication with a hanger neck receiving aperture opening whereby the neck of a hanger to be received by said spacing device may be inserted through a slit and into a hanger neck receiving aperture, said body portion having sufiicient longitudinal rigidity to normally retain hanger necks received by said apertures in a spaced apart position and being sulficiently resilient whereby to permit the confronting faces of a slit to spread apart on insertion therebetween of a hanger neck and to recover thereafter so that the confronting faces of such slit will return to a normal substantially abutting relation after the hanger neck has passed therethrough.

2. A spacing device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said body portion is arcuately curved transverse to the longitudinal axis thereof.

3. A spacing device as specified in claim 2 wherein said slits are extendant at an angle other than a right angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of said arcuate body portion.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,551,879 5/1951 Freedman 22383 2,794,549 6/1957 Feibusch 20682 3,268,088 8/1966 Lawhorn c 211-113 3,373,878 3/1968 Daitch 211119 MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner G. H. KRIZMANICH, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

